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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stem — to come from
  4. perch — the fish
  5. mug — a cup
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. shower — rain
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. saw — the tool
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. suit — to fit
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. board — to get on
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a face
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. saw — the tool
  22. board — a committee
  23. shower — to wash
  24. stem — of a plant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com